Phosphorus is a mineral that has many useful roles for the body. It is used in energy metabolism, to help the body use some B-complex vitamins, for muscle and nerve function, and for kidney function.
But one of the most important roles of phosphorus is to help the body maintain its calcium balance. This mineral is essential to the formation of bones and teeth, and bone and tooth health throughout all stages of life.
Cool phosphorus fact: approximately one percent of an adult’s total body weight is phosphorus. However, most of that phosphorus (about 85%) lives in your bones and teeth.
Some of the many uses of phosphorus for health and healing:
- In oral form and enema form, phosphates are used to relieve occasional constipation. They are also useful for bowel cleansing before surgery (like for a colonoscopy) and restoring normal bowel activity after surgery.
- Hypercalcemia (high blood calcium levels) is often treated using phosphate salts. Remember, phosphorus is important in helping the body manage calcium levels!
- Potassium and sodium phosphate salts are FDA approved for treatment of calcium oxalate kidney stones. In patients with high urine calcium levels, phosphate salts can also help prevent the formation of new kidney stones. However, other types of kidney stones may not respond well to phosphate treatment.
Phosphorus is also important for our animal friends! Cats with calcium oxalate urinary crystals may benefit from balancing phosphorus levels in the diet. Some reptiles can suffer from metabolic bone disease, where phosphorus levels play a role .
The National Academy of Sciences suggests 700 milligrams of phosphorus per day for adults. Children between nine and eighteen years old should get 1250 milligrams of phosphorus daily; children under nine should get 500 grams or less.
Phosphorus is available in a wide variety of food sources — so many people get all the phosphorus they need through diet alone. Dairy products like milk (247 milligrams per serving) and yogurt (385 milligrams per serving) are a great source of phosphorus. Beef, chicken, turkey, and eggs contain more than 100 milligrams of phosphorus per serving. Certain types of fish (like salmon and halibut) contain more than 200 milligrams of phosphorus per serving.
Some nuts, seeds, and grains also contain phosphorus, but the mineral in these forms may be less absorbable than in other forms.
If you are concerned about the amount of phosphorus in your diet, talk to your doctor.